Some leaders of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), a party founded by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, are said to be facing mounting uncertainty.
“If Musharraf does not return to Pakistan, they (APML leaders) are not going to contest in the upcoming general elections,” a close aide of Musharraf, who also served as a federal minister during then prime minister Shaukat Aziz’s cabinet, told The Express Tribune.
“Musharraf has pushed us into a blind alley by deciding not to return to Pakistan,” he said, adding that he was contemplating distancing himself from the party and even quitting politics altogether.
Another senior member of the party also says there’s a slim chance of the APML participating in the elections. He said many party workers were disillusioned when Musharraf did not address, leave alone attend, the rally taken out against lawlessness and load shedding in Sargodha last week.
Senior APML leader Zahid Sarfraz, who led the rally, decided to part ways with APML after Musharraf did not attend his call.
Key leader Dr Amjad met with Musharraf in Dubai recently and urged the former ruler to come back to Pakistan to expedite APML’s efforts for participating in the general elections.
Amjad, however, said he himself will now focus on social welfare programmes rather than his political career. Lamenting growing resentment among party workers, Amjad noted the APML can only grow if its top leadership stays in the country.
A leader of APML’s Punjab chapter, Javed Badar, also resigned recently. “A few so-called leaders have hijacked the party and are hoodwinking Musharraf for their own vested interests,” alleged Badar.
Others who have bid the APML goodbye are Sher Afgan Niazi and Fawad Chaudhry, while Hanook Bhatti switched to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf a few days ago.
APML’s central leader Ahmed Raza Kasuri, however, is quick to brush aside all such speculations. “Musharraf will certainly come back,” said a confident Kasuri.
His view is that the general elections will be delayed and held after a long interim set-up. He added that his party will reorganise itself during this time.
Political analyst Raza Rumi said that Musharraf has an uncertain political future in any case.
He said that in light current circumstances, where the Pakistan Peoples Party wants to prosecute Musharraf and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz wants to avenge its top leadership’s exile, opportunist politicos are starting to jump ship.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (49)
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(he was a bad man) i am talking about zia ul haq.
we r proud to be a pakistani. but we also proud for our great leader musharaf. he was the best leader of pakistan. althoug he havent a strong party ,but still we belive that he will do better for our pakistan. the great thing that mussharaf have done is that , he maked best relation with the nearby or regional countries. specially with india and chaina. reaspected mussharaf sir ! plz continie ur srogle for the development of pakistan. we r with u. the young genration of pakistan will welcome you.
Musharraf is the best leader Pakistan ever had. Good news. The new APML website on facebook established yesterday with below link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Pakistan-Muslim-LeagueOfficial/316385195115254
@Saad Malik: All the very best, Sir. Musharraf indeed is a great leader.
@pro Musharraf.....If you are loyal to president Musharraf, you should not leave APML.....I don't want to get into an unnecessary debate. I formed president Musharraf's support group on 9th aug 2009 when even pasdar was not known....I formed pasdar.....conducted conventions, seminars, protests, jalsas etc.......I dont need to make a fool of anyone......Regarding completion of organizational structure......I would just just like to answer........You will witness this in weeks.....
@ Naeem khan.... are you trying to be funny? kindly talk something logical.....
@truthbetold
Gilgitis love president Musharraf. Gilgit is our strongest support base along with Khi, chitral etc.... Nawaz Sharif was responsible for Kargil's mishap. I would request you to read shuja nawaz's Cross Swords......
OK.. things will change DRAMATICALLY once Musharraf landed back... ! I bet on that.
Now the question is, when he will be back? Musharraf fans turned to PTI, I am not sure if they will be back.
This is the man who sent 3000 poor Gilgit/Baltistan from the Northern Light Infantry to their deaths for no good reason in Kargil while he was sipping whiskey in Rawalpindi with his children living safely in luxury in the US.
This guy used to be a tin pot dictator. Now, he is just a tin pot !
@Saad Malik, wow, I am so impressed, I will believe it when he steps out of an airliner or his own airplane to rule Pakistan again and then sell out the rest of the country to foreigners. They are very sympathetic and courteous to the foreigners because they know that they will be residing in their countries with their ill gotten money. You must be living in the la-la land along with that brown noser Kasuri.
@ Saad Malik,
I have been supporting Musharraf when you werent even a member of Pasdar. Although I am still a Musharraf supporter, I am no longer supporting APML. Which isnt really a party just a few bunch of people who met off and on. You said : almost completed our organizational structure, I have been hearing this since the past 4 years. You could fool who dont know but you cant fool the members within the party.
Sorry but the party is just a flop.
Rajendra, how do you know if we have a liking for the british or not? get a life.
We have pledged to defend president Musharraf till the last drop of our blood because defending him means taking forward the Pakistan First cause....Its our challenge to bring him back democratically again as the president of Pakistan. All the silent, peaceful and educated majority is with him and time will prove this. Who says he is not a democrat. A person who emancipated the women, empowered the youth, gave minorities the due rights and freed the media can never be a dictator.
Hail President Musharraf
Pakistan First....
I assure u guys that musharraf will be back......
Musarraf will be again in demand when the ship will be about to sink . Let's wait and see .
It is said that the 'lawyers movement' was a factor in Musharraf's departure. But what do we have now - Arsalan Ifthikar Chaudhry, "Wuklagardi", "Sharif Courts"!
@Abdul Aziz: "Even in the past he proved himself a lion hearted leader."
When you are ruling it is easy to be a lion. To return to the country like Benazir did when opposition is in power takes courage. Musharraf does not have that. He was a bully not a courageous hero that you make him out to be.
Since he does not have the confidence to even come and contest free and fair elections, his labeling of his rule as guided democracy was a misnomer. It is not democracy if people do not vote for you.
Also for all those people who say the country did better under military rules - why then does Musharraf not have the confidence to come and contest on his track record? Is it possible that the numbers his statistics department churned out were questionable and he knows that people who experienced life know the truth and won't vote for him?
@Abdul Aziz: the lion has no heart to come back to pakistan. courage is tested in hard time. he never had courage, wht he only had was command of 600,000 guns. he ran few days after he lost the support, never to come back.
Cammando not in Control. Commando Com-man-do what u promised don't b scared. Raise ur voice for people not for a fee.
Musharaf is one of the best, mature and visionary leaders. He led Pakistan to prosperity and can do it again with more vigour. I fully support his agendas.
Musharraf was the man with a vision! We do not deserve him!
@EWQ:
there are likely many million more like you, myself included. while the PTI is itself a good party and offers the chance for pakistan to change from the old guard politics of PML-N and PPP, it cannot claim the mantle to rule exclusively and as you pointed out has a chequered past of supporting an 'independent' judiciary and some right wingers. as saad malik has pointed out, many news stories will be planted in the news to discourage people. president musharraf has been adamant that he will return. he delayed his return in january for strategic reasons, and as of now, there is no hurry for him to return. elections are not scheduled for atleast jan/feb of 2013, and an interim setup will likely come into place late this year. i would expect for president musharraf to return in that timeframe.
@Mohammad:
he has certainly not quit, dont worry. the APML website is offline for reorganization and his FB page was recently hacked by individuals and will be put up again.
Almost every Pakistani leader has met the fate of last Mughal King Bahadur Shah Zafar. self imposed or forced exile has been the fate. Pakistani rulers have a special liking for the very British who exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar. What an irony.
We, the Pakistanies do not deserve a leader like Musharraf, so let Musharraf enjoy his life with his family. The day Peoples of Pakistan really decided to develop themselves, Allah will automatically pave the way for Musharraf or a leader like him to serve the Pakistan.
President Mushrraf doubled Pakistan's GDP, reduced poverty, gave Pakistan an international standing, reduced debt/GDP ratio by more than half, developed Gwader, Makran coastal high ways, Karachi road systems, Motor ways in Punjab, road networks across the country and dams in Balochistan. He doubled our exports, increased our tax base by more than four folds. We salute you for your effort and hope you can come back and lead us.
@Uza Syed: Self exile? What a phrase. Due to such tricky phrases, English is called a great language. It can sugar-coat everything and anything!! Musharraf, the criminal, is absconding from Justice! If he dares to return, he will (at least, should) spend the rest of his time in a Pakistani jail! His hands are having the blood of Benazir, who really was unlucky to have been assassinated! She would have made a big difference to Pakistani politics, Pakistanis' livelihood & Pak-India relationship.
Simple....our pages have been hacked.....we are trying to retrieve those pages....Inshallah we will.....President Musharraf has been tried, tested and succeeded unlike others who have been tried, tested and failed thrice.....So he has all the right to come back. When others who have been miserably failed are again ready for another term, why should not a person come back who delivered and was successful...
Pakistan First !
Good riddance. This man almost ruined the country. Let's move on.
Mush is having the last laugh. The rest of pakistan's leaders and powerful elite are making a mockery of themselves in eyes of the world. Mush is right. Which fool wants to come back to this madhouse country. Besides, he knows that he can be bumped off anytime, anywhere, if he returns. Evereone is blackeninmg his own and others faces on a daily soap opera basis. good news is that the poor couldnt care two hoots, as they are so absorbed in daily survival, that the fun and games are nowhere on their radar. pakistan indeed is disparate pieces of completely different societies( poor are in a different world, the rich on another palnet)
Musharraf got his chance and he blew it................big time !!.
"Self-exile" is lot better than suicide, I'd think.
What a shame this country is? At least it has changed that now even generals dare not to come back.
@Saad Malik can u tell why APML website is offline and Musharraf's facebook page doesn't exist anymore?
Even if he with the support of his party comes and contests election ,he will forfeit his security deposit.Elections in Pakistan are contested with power of money and muscle.He has none of them.His life for him should be of paramount importance,and he knows he will get the worst treatment.Option is to join the one third of group of Pakistanis,(who want to leave the country according to Gillani).
Musharraf is famous in India too ^_^
@The Truth: HAHAH.. you know what the truth is?? we Pakistanis don't deserve him..!!!
Rubbish. APML is gaining strength with every passing day. President Musharraf would surely be back before the general elections and we would contest elections from all the constituencies. We would change history by getting President Musharraf elected again as the supreme commander of the Islamic republic of Pakistan. We have almost completed the organizational structure and soon we'll show strength in all the provincial capitals, divisions, districts.
Pakistan First
Saad Malik Gen Secy youth wing APML Lhr
Surely APML is facing some issues in Musharraf's Absence, But It clearly does not mean that his support amongst his supporters is decreasing. Who ever thinks that is nothing but fooling himself.
Musharraf should have at least tried before quitting, failure is not shame but the fear. I am still loyal to Musharraf will remain, even if he quit the politics.
@Pakistani: ok, lets wait for civilised politics where a general in uniform takes over the country, declares himself president, extend his own term, so that musharraf can come back. but will the general hand over the government to musharraf or shud musharraf act on his own saying re. ex-servicemen.
mircles might added by all time 'dictrator'...life finishes at him......
Death of the Dragon!
Leave Musharraf! there is nothing left in him..
Because there are no civilized politicians currently ruling Pakistan .
There is very little difference among the rightwing parties and Mush supporters are already joining the other parties in particular PTI. Mush knows full well that no dictator comes back to his country and wins elections. Even a basic student of history and politics knows that.
Say permanent Khuda Hafiz to Musharaf and join another party, but please don't join PTI. Its fifty percent chance that it will also boycott next election.